I was sitting alone at a fast food chain, waiting for my best friend to arrive. Beside me was a man, maybe at his 50's or 60's. Just by sitting there and looking at him something in me whispered: "You'd be talking to that man; you have to speak with him". He was eating; and I'm not. With him are books about Math and an abacus. He was cleaning one of his books when he looked at me (and he caught me looking at him as well) and he smiled. I smiled back.
Then the conversation starts.
We talked about Math and the books he has with him that night, they are all about Math and Numbers. I asked him if he's a professor in Mathematics or a Mathematician; he just simply said, he's a retired accountant. I asked him about one of the things that struck me that was with him: the abacus. He told me that it's different than the others; that it is actually a Filipino Abacus. I asked him to teach me how to use it. I learned a lot. Actually, just the basics. But it's "a lot" for me already. And my sister-best friend arrived.
He asked us what we are doing with our lives? I understand it with regard to "work". I was to say that I'm a nurse and that I'm a lecturer/ reviewer for NLE. Then I got reminded: Before anything else, I am a Missionary. And that's what I told him. And him knowing my answer, we take on from Math to Religion and Philosophies. Man, that's way far from one another!
God taught me that to every man I meet, I am responsible for that man's soul. I am a Catholic missionary. He said he's Catholic but not anymore practicing. And I get perplexed. How can that be? If one is a Catholic, one is either a Catholic through and through or not Catholic at all. The way I see it, he's a humanist-relativist.
There was this question he asked, "Hindi ko ba matitibag ang mga pinaniniwalaan ninyo?" We answered, "Hindi po." This answer of ours, allowed us to be engaged in a deeper conversation. The very word I could give to describe the man's reaction to our answer of "hindi po" is: "Nang-gigil" siyang makipag-usap sa amin. With this, you'd think that he's trying to break the very foundation of the Faith that is in us. But. Podering from his reaction, we (my sister and I) arrived at two conclusions:
- He wants to test us and our adherence to our beliefs; or,
- He just wants to share his thoughts with us without bearing the responsibility of him changing our beliefs.
He poses questions on us, about our faith and our beliefs. The moment I felt this was going to happen, right then and there I prayed. I prayed to St. Michael the Archangel for defense in battles like this (not that this is a debate; but it is a spiritual warfare). I prayed to St. Anthony de Padua for eloquence of words. And to St. Augustine of Hippo as well, because he's my patron saint. And I know my sister is also praying.
The man poses questions of which questions I also asked myself back then; of which questions I also failed to answer myself. Instead of worrying what I have to say, I held on to God's promise:
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20, NAB)Truly, our God inspired me with His wisdom. I was able to speak, for God's glory, for that man's questions. I don't want to just nod with everything he says; if I did that it would be a burden for me whenever I'd recalled the event. I don't want to be left hanging without even answering for my Faith and what I believe in. I remembered what St. Peter said:
... Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. (cf. 1 Peter 3:15-16, NAB)When someone asks you an answer for your faith, our first Pope made it clear: when you answer you do it with gentleness and reverence (respect). Your goal is not to win the conversation, but to win the person and his soul for Christ. Before you answer, you pray for God's wisdom, knowledge, and presence. After you answer, you pray in thanksgiving and you pray for the man's soul.
The man told us, "Believe, not because it's true, but because it is beautiful". That's quite good. But isn't it that the fact that it is beautiful is because it is true? It is the truth that is why it is beautiful. It is not the truth that is why it is not beautiful.
I learned from him to always seize the moment, to enjoy the moment. Well, that's true. He enjoyed our talk. We also enjoyed talking to him. He thanked us. We also thanked him.
There's also one thing I can be proud of, that if ever the Filipino Abacus subject be added into the primary education curriculum, then I can say that I have met and actually spoke with the man who finds it essential for basic Mathematics.
Lord, I am a Catholic; and I will die a Catholic.
*NAB - New American Bible
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